Cessna 172 accident near Bolzano, It, August 17, 2013
On August 17, 2013 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered DEDQL, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Bolzano. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 4 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2013 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bolzano, Italy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- DEDQL · no longer on the register · serial FR172J
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 17, 2013, at 1400 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), a Cessna FR172J, German registration D-EDQL, operated by a flying club, was destroyed following a collision with mountainous terrain near San Pellegrino, Italy. The local flight originated in Bolzano, Italy (LIPB). The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of Italy. Further information can be obtained from: Agenzia Nazionale Per La Sicurezza Del Volo (ANSV) Via Attilio Benigni, 53 00156 Roma, Italy Tel +39 06 8207 8219 www.ansv.it This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Government of Italy.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: LIPB Bolzano
- Destination: LIPB Bolzano
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.